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Porsche tops J.D. Power quality index as Korean brands soar

While complaints about infotainment systems remain a thorn in the side of automakers for J.D. Power's annual Initial Quality Study, there's a lot to celebrate this year. The average number of problems reported per 100 vehicles fell to 112 in 2015 – a three-percent improvement compared to 116 in 2014. The results of this year's survey are based on the responses of over 84,000 people about problems within the first 90 days of buying or leasing a 2015 model-year vehicle. For the third consecutive year, Porsche tops the rankings with an average of 80 problems per 100 vehicles. Although, that's slightly more than the 74 the German sportscar maker scored in 2014. "While the Japanese automakers continue to make improvements, we're seeing other brands, most notably Korean makes, really accelerating the rate of improvement," Renee Stephens, vice president of US automotive quality at J.D. Power, said in the study's release. In fact, Kia ranks as one of the biggest movers in this year's list. The Korean brand jumped to second place from seventh last year. The company had an average of 86 problems per 100 vehicles, a 20-point improvement. Third place went to Jaguar with an average of 93 problems reported, versus last year's second-place finish with 87 of them. Fourth place was Hyundai, and fifth-place Infiniti also earned a gold star for improvement with 97 issues per 100 vehicles – 31-points better than last year. Fiat still anchored the bottom of the list. However, its 161 problems this year is a lot better than the 206 in 2014. Ranked by nationality, Korean brands (Hyundai and Kia) are now leading the industry in initial quality with an average of 90 problems reported per 100 vehicles. According to J.D. Power, this is the first time Europe's figure beat Japan with 113 and 114 issues, respectively. The American brands also averaged 114. Whereas General Motors dominated last year, the segment awards are spread out in 2015. GM, Hyundai, Nissan, and Volkswagen Group are all tied with four models each earning prizes. For more information, you can also see all of the graphs, here. J.D.

Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell CUV deliveries running behind schedule

Things are running a little bit behind on Hyundai's hydrogen-powered Tucson Fuel Cell CUV program in the US. The last time we checked in with the South Korean automaker's H2 project, we heard that the first deliveries were supposed to happen by the end of March. Speaking with Hyundai's Kevin Lee at the Hyundai booth at the SAE World Congress this week, we learned that deliveries are now going to happen closer to a month from now. Globally, there are roughly 70-100 of these hydrogen CUVs running in customer hands today. Lee told AutoblogGreen that the first US-bound units will be shipped from South Korea at the end of April or beginning of May but there is no actual date set for the first customer delivery. He said he expects 100 or fewer H2 powered Tucson CUVs to be operating in the US by the end of this year, all of them in Southern California. He said the customers in this first batch are being selected based on the location of the nearest hydrogen fuel station. While the number of stations is small today, more are on the way. Globally, there are roughly 70-100 of these hydrogen-powered CUVs (also known as the ix35) running in customer hands today, in places like South Korea, Germany, Norway, Austria and Italy. Some H2 stations charge Hyundai a flat rate per fill while others charge the automaker a general station maintenance fee. In the US, the Tucson Fuel Cell CUV leases for $499 a month (with $2,999 down) for 36 months, and comes with unlimited hydrogen refueling as well as Hyundai's Valet Maintenance. Lee told us that one reason for the "free" hydrogen is that even the small number of public hydrogen stations out there (nine in SoCal) does not have a cohesive set of rules for how to sell H2 to the public. The stations are not yet certified to charge customers based on dollar per kilogram in California, Lee said, since that regulation has not yet been set by the Division of Measurement Standards (DMS). Currently, "each station is different," he said, with some charging Hyundai a flat rate per fill and others charging the automaker a general station maintenance fee. This situation will likely change by the end of the year, he said. Lee said Hyundai is already busy working on the next-gen fuel cell vehicles and trying to reduce costs but was not able to share any details.

Next-gen Hyundai Equus spotted horsing around in desert

The last time we showed you the next-generation Hyundai Equus, the northern hemisphere was in the depths of winter and the big luxury sedan was testing above the Arctic Circle. Now, as we're approaching the end of summer, the South Korean company is rather fittingly conducting hot weather testing in the American southwest. As with our last look at the Equus, today's images show a heavily camouflaged car. Said camo, which includes both coverings and more form-fitting stickers, can't hide the overall size of this vehicle. It's a big'un, especially behind the B-pillar. From what we can see through the front camouflage, the Equus should draw some inspiration from the Vision G concept. In short, expect a sportier, more assertive look than what's currently offered on Hyundai's flagship. This particular car is allegedly fitted with a version of the company's Tau 5.0-liter V8, which serves in both the current Equus and the smaller Genesis sedan. It's paired with a ten-speed automatic – yes, ten forward gears... on a car – while our spies reiterated previous reports that a new turbocharged V6 would also be on offer. Importantly, this latest gallery of spy photos gives us our first look at the new Equus' cabin. Again, there's heavy camouflage here, but we can get a look at the handsome leatherwork on the two-tone steering wheel and the stylish silver hue of the HVAC buttons. It also looks like Hyundai will retain a knob-and-button-style controller for the infotainment system, which will be housed in an expansive display at the tip top of the dash. Look for the next-generation Equus to make its debut some time in 2016 as a 2017 model. Related Video: